Entwistle to run BBC Four for six months

Digital channel BBC Four is being put in the hands of BBC current affairs chief George Entwistle for six months from the beginning of May while controller Janice Hadlow takes a sabbatical.

A former Newsnight editor, Entwistle has won numerous awards for his programmes.

BBC Vision director Jana Bennett said: "I'm delighted that George is taking on the challenge of running the channel for a few months. Having commissioned both current affairs and arts programmes for BBC Four since its inception, George really understands the channel and I know he will steer it effectively and creatively through the next six months."

Bennett said Hadlow—who is writing a book on George III—had done a "fantastic job raising the profile of BBC Four over the past three years. When she came back to the BBC we agreed that when the time was right, she would take some time away from BBC Four to finish her book".